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Expat guides, tips, and resources for living in Japan in 2026. Updated information for foreigners navigating daily life in Japan — from apps and banking to food and transport.
JR East raised fares on March 14, 2026 for the first full-scale revision since 1987: 7.1% on average, 12% on commuter passes and up to 22.9% for Yamanote-area passes. Here are the numbers, Tokyo examples and ways to cut the cost.
Tokyo plans to replace its flat ¥100–¥200 hotel tax with a 3% charge on room rates above ¥13,000 a night from April 2027, and to extend it to Airbnb-style rentals. Here is how much more you will pay and what is still pending approval.
Since April 2026, a child and child-rearing support levy of 0.23% rides on Japan's public health insurance premiums. Here is what it costs per month, who pays it (children or not), when it shows on your payslip, and what it funds.
Since April 24, 2026, JAL and Skymark allow only two power banks per passenger (160Wh or less each) and ban using or charging them in flight. Here is what the notices say, how to check your watt-hours, and what is still unconfirmed.
Since October 1, 2026, renewing or changing your Japan residence status costs up to ¥75,000 instead of ¥6,000, and permanent residency costs ¥200,000. Here are the confirmed numbers, the online discount, and the hardship reduction.
Japan overhauled its permanent residency screening on October 1, 2026: a ¥200,000 fee, an above-average income test, pension records equal to 30 years of contributions, and conversational Japanese. What is confirmed, what is only reported, and how to prepare.
Tokyo's minimum wage rose ¥54 to ¥1,280 an hour on October 1, 2026, and at least 15 prefectures moved the same day. Here is what the raise is worth in real pay, who it covers, and what to do if your wage is below it.
Japan is raising iDeCo contribution limits across the board and extending the maximum enrollment age from under-65 to under-70, with the first change already live and the rest landing January 2027. Here's what it means for foreign residents building a retirement cushion in Japan.